Italian Peach Cookies

Ingredients:

2 eggs

½ c sugar

5 tbsp butter, melted

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lemon (2 TBSP)

1 tsp almond extract

2 c all purpose flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Filling:

1 cup peach or apricot jam

Assembly:

1/3 cup Aperol, Campari or Alchermes

1/3 cup sugar, for rolling

Basil or mint leaves, optional

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees, line two baking sheets with parchment or a silicon baking mat.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with whisk attachment, or using handheld mixer, combine eggs and sugar. Whisk until pale and thick, about 8 minutes. A ribbon should form when you left whisk. With mixer still running, slowly stream in melted butter, followed by lemon zest, juice and almond extract.

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Turn off mixer and add flour mixture, using a rubber spatula to combine, careful not to overmix.

Using a small cookie scoop, make walnut sized balls and roll in your hands to form a circle. Place on baking sheet and press down slightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, just until the bottom of the cookies get light brown.

While still warm, hollow out a hole in the cookies using a small melon baller or knife. Add jam to each half, then sandwich together.

Pour Aperol into a small bowl and dip each cookie sandwich in, coating completely. Place on a wire rack. Once all cookies have been dipped, roll into sugar. Decorate with small mint or basil leaves, optional.

Keep at room temperature in air tight container for up to 3 days.